Head-rest for coffins



v (NoModaL) I W. GLOUSER. HEAD REST FOB. GOFFINS.

No. 531,911. Patented Jan. 1, 1895.

WITNESSES.

' A7-TORNE Y.

' UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

WILLIAM CLOUSER, OF GREENFIELD, OHIO.

HEAD-REST FOR COFFINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 531,91 1, dated January 1, 1 895.

Application filed January 15, 1894. Serial No. 496,956. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM CLoUsER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenfield, in the county of Highland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Head-Rests for Caskets, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawlugs.

This invention relates to head-rests for caskets; and the object of the invention is to produce a head-rest which may be easily elevated or lowered, thus elevating or lowering the head of the corpse, as required, and giving it a natural, comfortable-looking and lifelike appearance. Heretofore head-rests for caskets have generally been made of excelsior or other padding material, and the proper vertical adjustment of the head has been obtained with considerable difficulty. It is always pleasing to the undertaker, as well as to the friends and relatives, to have the deceased placed in the casket in acomfort-ablelooking and life-like position.

The novelty of my invention will be hereinafterfully set forth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvedhead-rest, together with a broken portion of the casket, showing the position of the head-rest therein. Fig. 2 is a View of the vertical supporting rod, looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of a broken portion of a casket and a vertical supporting rod slightly different from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a topvor plan view of the head-rest shown in Fig. 1, the vertical supporting rod being cut off on the line 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a top or plan view showing a slightly modified form of head-rest, and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the head-rest shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail View showing thebiuding wire.

In the drawings the numeral 3 represents a piece of wire of suitable size. This wire is formed into a loop or part of a circle 3 at its central portion, adapted to receive and support the back part of the head of the corpse. The end portions of the wire are formed respectively into coils 3 wound in opposite directions, one being from left to right and the other from right to left,

These coils are lower end engages and bears against the end or head-piece 12 of the casket. A verticallydisposed rod 6 is pivotally attached to the lower end of brace rod 5. Rod 6 is held in position by a staple 7 or other suitable bearing, and terminatesat its upper end in a loop or circle 6 Rod 6 has a lateral kink or bend 6 designed to engage and rest upon one of the pins 8 in the head-piece 12 of the casket.

A binding wire 9 extends between and has its ends respectively lapped around the terminals of loop or part-circle 3 thus preventing the latter from spreading apart when the weight of the head is placed thereon. This Wire 9 is bent or bowed down at its central portion in order to accommodate the rounding shape of the head.

The pins 8 may in some cases be dispensed with and any convenient form of dogging or holding device substituted to support rod 6.

In Fig. 3 holes 8 are provided in the headpiece 12 of the casket. The loop 6 at the upper end of rod 6 in this case has a projection 6 to enter holes 8 and thus support the rod. In Fig. 3 rod 6 obviously does not need the lateral kink 6 since the pins 8 are not used.

It may be stated that the coils 3 may in some cases extend to the sides of the casket and be attached thereto instead of being attached to the bottom of the casket as shown in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 5 and 6 the coils are dispensed with and the loop 3 is supported upon a curve or semicircle formed of wire 3. The coils, however, especially if made of spring wire, give greater adj ustability vertically to the loop, as will be readily understood, and the coils also, when resting upon the bottom of the casket, assist in supporting loop 3? and the weight placed thereon.

A block, pad, or other suitable device may in some cases be used instead of loop 3 to support the head, but the loop is simpler and cheaper, being integral with the wire of the coils.

The head when placed in loop 3 is held firmly and has no tendency to roll to one side, as is sometimes the case when a padded pillow is used.

Rod 6, as well as the whole head-rest, will 5 generally be covered with the trimmings of the casket, as will readily be understood by those skilled in the art. When itis desired to elevate or lower the head it is only necessary to grasp loop 6 (through the trimmings) and elevate or lower it, moving it slowly and carefully, taking, care to secure it at the proper position by means of pins 8 or holes 8 or other fastening device. used. Rod 6 will in turn elevate or lower brace rod 5, which will elevate or lower loop 3 The lower end of brace rod 5 engages and bears against the head-piece 12 of the casket. A vertical groove 12 maybe cut in head-piece 12 for the end of rod 5 to work in, in order to prevent its lateral displacement.

It will be observed that brace rod 5, when elevated, will elevate the part of the loop with which it engages more than the opposite part, and the loop will be carried somewhat away from the head-piece 12 of the casket, by the unwinding of the coils. This movement is quite desirable, because the head of the corpse moves about the neck as a pivotal point, and the loop in being raised or lowered will follow the natural movement of the head.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A head-rest loop or portion 3 having a 35 suitable support, a link or brace rod 5 depended from said head-rest portion 3 and a rod 6 for elevating or lowering said link or brace rod, thus elevating or lowering the head-rest portion 3 substantially as set forth.

2. A head-rest portion 3 supported at the center of a horizontally-disposed coiled spring, and means for elevating or lowering said head-rest portion 3 substantially as set forth.

3. A head-rest portion 3 supported at the centerof a horizontally-disposed coiled'spring, and an adjusting link or brace rod 5 depended from said head-rest portion 3 said link 'or brace rod being designed to engage and bear against the casket at its lower end, and means for elevating or lowering said link or brace rod, substantially as set forth.

4. A horizontally-disposed coiled spring having an integral loop at its center forming a rest for the head, and a link or brace rod 5 depended from said loop, said link or brace rod being designed to engage and bear against the casket at its lower end, and a vertically-disposed rod havingits lower end pivotally connected to the lower end of said link or brace rod for the purpose of elevating or lowering the same, and means for holding said vertical rod in any desired position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM CLOUSER.

Witnesses:

ALBERT M. MAOKERLEY, CYRUS PRICE. 

